“It Happens to Everyone:” Chinese-Made Artificial Companion AI Aims to Take the Stress Out of Sex
Can AI-equipped sexbots be arousing AND comforting?
With the lion’s share of artificial companion development apparently centered on making each increase more physically exciting than the last, it’s easy to forget that even erotically idealized sex products can sometimes be emotionally challenging.
However, that MIGHT be about to change thanks to Jinsan Doll’s development of MetaBox, an artificial intelligence voice system compatible with a number of different sexdolls, including those made by AngelKiss Doll, GalateaDolls, and WMDoll,
Jinsan Dolls, founded in Zhongsan, China in 2010, has become one of the world’s most respected and popular sexdoll manufacturers. Their Metabox comes with preinstalled interactive personalities that run the gamut from Lena, a tough-as-nails police officer; the superheroic Diana; and Emma, a flirty personal assistant.
So far, so cliche. What stands out about MetaBox’s assortment of characters isn’t just the inclusion of Claire, a kind-hearted teacher, and Amy, a compassionate nurse, but how each demonstrates a level of emotional support rarely—if ever—seen in AI-equipped artificial companions.
Nothing to worry about
As explained by AllYourDolls, the MetaBox technology can carry on regular, interactive conversations based on their user’s personal preferences, which is made possible by a quite substantial onboard memory system. For example, “if the user mentions feeling unwell, MetaBox will thoughtfully check in during the next chat.”
Differing from more mechanically sophisticated companions like RealDoll’s super-high-end models sporting lifelike facial expressions, hardware-wise, MetaBox is little more than a microphone/speaker combo designed to be easily concealable under a doll’s arm.
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Jinsan’s Dolls puts compassionate support at the forefront of their marketing campaign for Metabox, suggesting a new industry emphasis. Competing manufacturers may already have plans to release their own equally compassionate versions of AI-equipped artificial companions.
Let’s not concern ourselves with the outcome, just the experience
Aside from a healthy percentage of retailers selling every manner of make and model—some with or without AI—reflecting the steadily rising sextech industry as a whole, artificial companions remain controversial.
For instance, Googling “sexbot” pulls up articles such as AI Sexbots Are On The Rise. Should We Regulate Them?, Non-consensual personified sexbots: an intrinsic wrong, or Sexbots: Sexy or Social Suicide?
Most of these are focused on how synthetic companion sex may somehow lead to treating people like objects or causing users to have unrealistic expectations resulting in an inability to experience fulfilling sex with anyone but a doll.
The truth is we don’t know and probably won’t for an extremely long time.
However, it’s important to understand sexual performance anxiety isn’t limited to flesh-and-blood partners.
In fact, the closer someone becomes to their synthetic partner, the higher the likelihood they’ll encounter a range of very-human emotional states—including the anxiety over how well they are doing.
No rush—take your time
Future artificial companions could be built and trained by their developers to be supportive and nurturing, particularly about sexual performance anxieties.
But as human beings are—or should be—well aware, sometimes we need a guiding positive hand. For example, next-gen companions might offer a variety of self-affirming emotional or physical exercises: gaining an appreciation for the moment, letting go of unrealistic expectations, embracing sensuality over empty sexuality, and so forth.
All this might be a lot to expect from one relatively simple AI, so why not give it an as-needed wireless connection to a more informed, and, dare we say it, generally wiser artificial intelligence?
Imagine what could happen if we placed all of Planned Parenthood, the World Health Organization, or any number of respected sexual health experts’ information into a studiously checked artififial intelligence our companions would be able to tap into should the need arise?
Let’s work through this together
Even if MetaBox isn’t a glimpse at how tomorrow’s artificial companions may do more than just lay there and moan, its development and release show at least one sexbot manufacturer is thinking beyond turning their customers on: realizing that perhaps people don’t always need—or want—an empty-headed plastic plaything but someone to tell them that no matter what it’s all going to be okay.
Image Sources: Depositphotos
